Avatar Niella 1 : Earthbending
by SeaSpectre160
Summary: Twenty-one years have passed since the final battle. A new Avatar is revealed, but complications arise, and she gets caught up in a plan to kidnap the Earth King's Daughter! Part 1/5.
1. I'm the WHAT!

**So, here it is, my first Avatar fanfic. It takes place twenty-one years from the beginning of the series, so The Duke is 29, Toph is 32, Teo and Ty Lee are 34, Katara is 35, Sokka, Suki, and Mai are 36, and Zuko and Haru are 37, (I'm not entirely sure how old Haru actually is; this is just a guess). I figure all firebenders are born in the summer, waterbenders are born in the winter, earth in spring, and air in fall. Any non-benders are born in the opposite season, for the purpose of this story. So Sokka would be born in the summer, Suki would be born in the fall, and so on. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. **

**Claimer: I own Niella, Haeno, Yue and Kanna (different from the ones in the series, so I own these ones), and LuTen and TaMin. (Same goes for them.) **

* * *

Chapter 1: I'm the WHAT?

People in the Southern Water Tribe were waking up early one winter morning. Some rushed about the kitchen, preparing as many festive meals as possible. Others dashed in and out of a huge ice structure, carrying various decorations, all dark navy blue. They moved quickly, excitement in the air. Only one person was still at rest.

A few hours after sunrise, she got up and got ready for the day like usual – getting dressed, putting her hair up, and the final touch: her great-grandmother's betrothal necklace, a family heirloom. Katara came in just as she was pulling her parka over her head.

"Good morning, Niella." She gave her a warm hug. "Happy birthday, hon."

"Thanks, mom." Niella couldn't believe she'd actually forgotten her own sixteenth birthday. She smiled eagerly at her mother. "Hey, remember how you always told me I could finally meet Dad when I turned sixteen?"

Katara's smile seemed to vanish for as second, but Niella was too happy to care. "Mm-hm."

"Well? Is he here already? I can't wait!" Niella had never known her father, and had been counting down to this day since – well, since she learned to count that high!

"S-soon. I promise. Now, come on, everybody's waiting for a certain birthday girl."

"Oh, come on. I'm sure you don't mean **everybody** in the Three Nations. It's just Uncle Sokka, Aunt Suki, and the twins, right?"

"Actually, we also invited a few others. Including Haeno." She winked.

Niella's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't even remember exactly when she'd first fallen head over heels for him. If only he would just glance at her, once! Of course, today **was** her sixteenth birthday, a day where miracles were known to happen.

* * *

Katara led her into her hand-made – or waterbending-made – ice castle, a blindfold over Niella's eyes. The entire population of the village stood in silence. Chief Sokka was at the front, Suki at his side, their twin daughters Yue and Kanna in between them. A peppy woman in a Kyoshi Warrior's uniform – the family friend Ty Lee – was on Suki's other side, tugging her long brown braid in anticipation.

As Niella lifted her blindfold, everybody screamed: "Happy Birthday!" Her eyes were wet with tears of joy as she hugged Katara.

* * *

The entire morning passed wonderfully. They enjoyed a delicious traditional Water Tribe feast, with a few delicacies from the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, and some fruit pies – Niella wasn't sure where they came from – and the rest of the time was passed with lively dancing. Niella happily waltzed with Haeno several times. She felt like a princess that day. This was the best birthday ever.

Right before lunch, however, her mother took her by the arm, saying they needed to talk about something important. She led her to a small room off to the side. Sokka, Suki, and Ty Lee were waiting for them. Niella could feel the apprehension in the air.

"So, what's up?" she asked, her happy mood quickly dying.

Katara took a deep breath. "Now that you're sixteen, Niella, it's time you knew. Do you remember the stories I told you about the last airbender?"

Niella nodded. She'd loved those stories as a child, but had long since gotten too old for such fairy tales.

"Well, those stories actually did have some truth to them. They were based on my own experiences with the **real** last airbender. He was the Avatar. I taught him how to waterbend."

"**You** knew the Avatar?" Niella cried. She looked at Sokka, Suki, and Ty Lee to see their reactions. Surprisingly – or maybe not – they weren't shocked at all. Of course, Sokka was Katara's brother, Suki was Sokka's wife, and Ty Lee was Suki's close friend.

"Yes," Sokka replied seriously, "Katara and I were the ones who discovered him frozen in an iceberg less than a year before the end of the Great War. We set him free, and travelled with him all over the world. He needed to fit decades' worth of training into a few months, and we were beside him for the whole journey. It was actually how I met Suki." He shared a loving gaze with his wife.

"And I started out as the Fire Princess's best friend," Ty Lee added, "but then I finally figured things out and went against her, and after the war, Suki let me join the Kyoshi Warriors."

Niella couldn't believe what she was hearing. Even as a child, she'd never imagined the airbenders were real. Now her mother, uncle, aunt, and friend were telling her they'd know one – the Avatar, no less – and had fought alongside him in the war.

"Four years after the Great War was won," Katara continued, "Aang got really sick. He was only seventeen, and I was almost nineteen. A couple weeks before he died, he proposed to me." A few tears ran down her face as she fingered a beautiful betrothal necklace, the one she'd always worn since Niella was a baby. "The new Avatar is supposed to learn of their identity on their sixteenth birthday."

With a shock, Niella realised where this was going. "So, w-what are you trying to say? That it's ... me? **I'm** the Avatar?" She looked at each one of their faces, hoping it wasn't true. As they all nodded, she felt her eyes well up with tears. No. She didn't want that responsibility. She wasn't ready; she never would be. Why her? "No. No, I can't do it."

Katara reached out a comforting hand to her, but Niella slapped it away. She didn't want to be around anyone right now. She turned and bolted away from them, shoving her way through the throng of happy, ignorant partygoers. She didn't even apologize to the man in red she crashed into at the door. This was the worst birthday ever.

* * *

Zuko turned to watch the sobbing girl run past him into one of the snowy houses. He had a feeling she was the Avatar, the one his friends had so proudly told him about. Mai squeezed his shoulder in worry; he could tell she was thinking the same thing.

"Niella, please! Wait!" Katara was not far behind. She stopped short of the door, sighing. Most of the other guests had stopped dancing to watch.

Mai went over to comfort Katara, even though it wasn't one of her strong points. "It's okay," she said, "Just give her a chance to think about it. She'll get used to it in time."

Zuko couldn't help but think of Aang, and his reaction to the same news. He'd run away and nearly drowned in a terrible storm. Maybe they should consider having someone keep an eye on Niella until she calmed down.

Lu Ten and Ta Min slipped out of their father's grasp and ran towards the buffet table. Zuko sighed. Those two were so spoiled! Once they were old enough, he would take them out on a trip across the Earth Kingdom, travelling in the same fashion he and Uncle Iroh had twenty-one years ago – on foot. They would learn to appreciate the riches they grew up with, and hopefully develop a little sympathy for others. They'd probably hate him for it at first, but it was for their own good. After all, Lu Ten was heir to the throne. If he didn't respect the people of lesser wealth, then he wouldn't be a very popular Fire Lord.

After all the party guests had been hurried out, and Lu Ten and Ta Min had gone to play with Yue and Kanna, there was the debate on what to do with Niella. It was clear that she'd protest, but she had to begin her Earthbending training come spring. Luckily, they'd already made arrangements for the perfect teacher.

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**Well, what'd you think? R&R!**


	2. Welcome to Ba Sing Se

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. **

**Claimer: I own Niella and TaeXing.**

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Chapter 2: Welcome to Ba Sing Se

As Niella boarded Sokka's boat, she turned for a last glimpse of her home. Her so-called 'mother' had assured her that she would return soon, but Niella wasn't so sure if she could believe her. Why should she? Katara had pretended she was her mother, hadn't she?

Along with the fact that she was the Avatar, Niella had also learned that she was adopted. Her real parents, Lai and Ren, had died when she was a baby. The fact that not only her 'family', but nearly everyone in the village who'd known her real mom and dad, had lied to her, was even worse.

* * *

The voyage to the Earth Kingdom lasted a whole week, and the trip on foot to Ba Sing Se was at least twice as long, mostly because Sokka had insisted on stopping at Omashu to see his friend Teo, but they finally reached the huge city. The rest of the men stayed outside the towering stone walls, but Sokka accompanied Niella to the palace. The monorail system took them straight to their destination within mere minutes. Niella was terrified as they walked into the throne room, but did her best not to show it. She'd accepted the fact that she was the Avatar, even though she hadn't forgiven the ones who'd lied about it. She would stand strong.

Looking up at the Earth King, Niella did the first thing that came to mind – she bowed. Chuckling slightly, Sokka pulled her back up. "The Avatar doesn't have to do that," he whispered. Niella felt her face grow hot.

The Earth King merely smiled kindly, while the pretty girl sitting beside him – presumably his daughter – looked down on her with a superior expression. Two other people stood before them. One was a man in regal red robes around the same age as Sokka with a huge burn scar covering his left eye, and the other was a short dark-haired woman wearing an Earth Kingdom Army uniform.

"Welcome, Avatar Niella, to Ba Sing Se," the Earth King greeted her, "I hope you had a comfortable journey." Niella was too nervous to speak. She merely nodded, afraid she might throw up if she opened her mouth. "May I introduce my daughter, Princess Tae Xing, and my son and heir, Prince Zi Hao. And Fire Lord Zuko, of course. When the time comes, he will be you Firebending master, as he was to Avatar Aang years ago."

Niella was a little surprised. She'd assumed her teachers would be creepy old wisemen or something. The Fire Lord looked to be in his mid-thirties! He must've been her age when he taught the last Avatar.

"And this is your Earthbending teacher, General Bei Fong. She too, was one of Aang's masters."

General Bei Fong was even younger than the Fire Lord by about four or five years. Her eyes stared straight forward, as if she wasn't really seeing what was in front of her face. But still, she had the air of someone who wasn't to be messed with. She smirked at Niella. "You'll be living with me while you stay here in the city. Come on, let's go."

Niella looked from one face to another. It was so intimidating to be in the presence of so many high officials. She didn't say a word as Sokka and General Bei Fong led her out of the palace and back to the monorail. It was only when she noticed that they were heading past the Middle Ring, and towards the poorer districts, that she found the courage to speak.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She thought an Earth Kingdom general would live in the more upper-class area.

"My house," the general replied, "I live closer to the Outer Wall. It's a nice getaway from the city. If I didn't have to work here, I wouldn't even be living **near** Ba Sing Se.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I hate big cities. So many rules and restrictions, with everyone telling you what to do, it's crazy. That's why I started travelling with Aang. I –" Sokka coughed loudly, interrupting her. "– And with Sokka and Katara. Happy?" Sokka smirked and nodded. "It was a chance to escape my parents – they were **way** too overprotective – so I took it. You wouldn't **believe** how mad they were when I got home, though."

"Didn't they throw you out of the house?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah," the general said, shrugging nonchalantly, "Why'd you think I moved to the South Pole until I started working here?"

* * *

General Bei Fong's house was located right next to the Outer Wall, near the picturesque Lake Laogai. It was the only building in sight; the rest was either farmland or water. Niella found that the inside was decorated with carvings of badgermoles. A detailed portrait of eight kids lined up in two rows was carved into a stone slab mounted on the wall above the fireplace. It was all rather cozy, except for the fact that whoever'd built the house had neglected to add a decent floor. They were walking on cold, packed dirt instead of wood or fur.

General Bei Fong stooped in front of the portrait. She smiled as she ran her fingers along its surface. "This was made only a week after we won the Great War," she explained, "I'm the smaller girl on the far right at the front, the one with all the hair in her face. That's Ty Lee right next to me. And Mai and Zuko are on the other side. They got married one the one-year anniversary of victory."

Niella noticed a girl on the far left of the back row. She looked strangely familiar. "Who's that?" she asked.

General Bei Fong grinned. "That's Katara, when she was fourteen and a half."

"There's me and Suki on the other side," Sokka added.

Niella couldn't believe her eyes. She'd never been able to picture Katara as a teenager, yet here she was, set literally in stone. Her smile was the same as Niella had always remembered it, and her carved eyes somehow still sparkled the way they had whenever Niella had completed a new waterbending technique. Her arms were wrapped around a bald kid with an arrow tattoo on his forehead. The two of them were undoubtedly laughing with joy, and their intense closeness was obvious. "And that's Aang, isn't it?" she whispered, pointing to the boy, "Katara told me they got engaged right before he died."

A few small tears slid down the general's face, and Sokka bowed his head solemnly. "He'd been crushing on her since we met him. One minute, he was crashing down into the ocean in the middle of a storm; then next, he was waking up in her arms. Instant connection, just like that."

"Katara was hit the hardest when he died," General Bei Fong continued, "She'd been away when he got sick, and she still hasn't forgiven herself for it. She says she could've saved him. We all swore to guide and protect the next Avatar right to the end. That's why you're being taught by all his old masters."

Niella finally decided to ask the question that'd been lingering in her mind for quite a while now. "Is there something wrong with your eyes?" she blurted out.

General Bei Fong froze at the inquiry. Niella bit her lip and waited, expecting the worst. Surprisingly, the Earthbending officer gave her a small grin. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that. I was born blind, but I use my Earthbending to feel vibrations from the ground, and that's how I see. That's why I don't have a floor in this house."

"Oh. I'm sorry if I sounded rude, general, but –"

"It's okay. Just as long as you stop calling me by my title, alright? Call me Toph."

"Okay. So you travelled with the Avatar? What was he like?"

"He was just a kid with amazing powers who was often more interested in riding wild hogmonkeys than training." Both girls laughed, completely forgetting Sokka was there. "I could tell you every crazy little detail of our adventures together."

"Sure! I'd love to hear them!"

* * *

Hours later, Niella had gone to bed, and Sokka and Toph were sitting at the kitchen table, catching up on old times. Toph could feel the young Avatar tossing and turning in her sleep. "So, how'd she react?" she asked.

Sokka gazed down at the table, or at least turned his head that way. "She started crying and bolted out of there. I think it was just the shock. She still hasn't forgiven us for keeping it from her, that and the fact that she was adopted." Suddenly, he jumped up. "Oh, man!" he cried, "I've got to get back to the men. They've been waiting on me for hours. Tell Niella I said goodbye!" Then he ran out.

Toph frowned. It would be harder to get Niella to forgive her adoptive uncle if he ran out without saying goodbye in person. Sokka **was** deceptively clever, but he could honestly be a real idiot when it came to people.

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**I'm sorry if it seems like Sokka was a little left out from the conversation in Toph's house. It was like that for two reasons. One, Niella still hates him. Two, when I originally wrote that scene, Sokka wasn't there, so it was hard writing him in. Read and Review! **

**As for the names, Niella's parents Lai and Ren come from chinese for 'bearer'.**

**Prince Zi Hao's name comes from 'Zihao', which is chinese for Proud.**


	3. A Plot Uncovered

**Here's the third chapter! **

**I was a little disappointed by the responses. Only two reviews.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, because if I did, there would be a fourth season! **

**Claimer: I own Niella, Tae Xing, and Bo Don.**

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Chapter 3: A Plot Uncovered

Toph woke Niella bright and early the next morning. "Come on, lazybones. First day of training, no time to waste!" Niella's response – a sleepy grumble and a pillow flying through the air – evidently wasn't going to cut it. Toph, with a wave of one hand, flipped the mattress upside down and onto the floor, Niella beneath it.

"Okay, okay. I'm up." So much for sleeping in.

* * *

One crowded monorail ride later, Niella and Toph were at 'The Royal Earthbending Academy'. While the 'earthbending' part of it was obvious just by looking – several portions of the wall were cracked – the 'royal' part wasn't. The place looked like it'd seen better days. They were greeted by a smiling old man who introduced himself as Master Yu. "He handles the beginners," Toph explained, "and I teach the more advanced Earthbending students, like the soldiers-in-training for the Earth Kingdom Military – and you, of course."

Niella, feeling a bit of her old high-energy spark coming back, grinned a little. "So where do we start?"

* * *

By the end of the day, Niella had come to regret ever saying those words. Toph drilled her relentlessly in various earthbending techniques, but still Niella couldn't so much as budge a pebble – unless she kicked it. It surprised her how hard earthbending was. Waterbending had come easy to her; it was as if she was born with all the techniques memorised.

The two of them ended the lesson at around sunset. Instead of heading back to the house, Toph had insisted on stopping at the Jasmine Dragon. Niella wasn't sure what she meant at first, but soon discovered it was a teashop – a big one in the Upper Ring. It seemed like half the population of Ba Sing Se was crammed inside. Toph quickly pulled Niella to the tiny VIP section and sat her down. A slightly chubby old man with a grin on his face and teapot in hand came over.

"Toph. How nice to see you again, my friend," he greeted her kindly, pouring her a cup. "Jin!" he called to a waitress, "Mind making another pot of green tea? We're almost out!" The woman nodded, smiling and waving at Toph for a second before retreating into the back with a tray of empty cups.

Toph pulled off her helmet and placed it on the table, seemingly glad to be rid of it. "Hey, Iroh. I thought you'd like to meet my newest student – from the Southern Water Tribe." Iroh, noticing Niella for the first time, gave her a short bow.

"It is an honour to finally meet you, Niella. I have heard much about you from Sokka's letters."

"You know my un- Sokka?" Niella asked.

"Of course. I knew the entire little team that won us this war. This teashop was our favourite place to meet in the first few years of peacetime. Fire Lord Zuko just happens to be my nephew. You can't believe how proud I was when he started making his own decisions – instead of following the previous Fire Lord – and became an Avatar Master."

"A what?"

Toph drained her cup and set it down on the table. "An Avatar Master is the term for the Avatar's teacher in one of the bending arts. That makes me an Avatar Master, same with Katara and Zuko. Of course, no one's ever taught two different Avatars before. Which makes us that much cooler, right?"

* * *

Supper was a few hours later at Toph's house. Niella rather liked her first possumchicken meal, although there was something floating in the soup. She fished it out and realised it was a bug that had probably landed in without Toph noticing.

Niella didn't have any more soup after that.

Several weeks passed, and as spring came to a close, Niella's earthbending was really starting to improve. Katara had often said she was a fast learner; at least she was honest about that. She could now make gaping holes in the ground with the stomp of a foot, levitate boulders high above her head, even creates spikes up to three stories tall! She got better every day, much to Toph's obvious satisfaction. Niella was rewarded for her quick progress with stories she hadn't even heard from Sokka or Katara; tales about Aang, mostly.

Later, after another rather successful lesson, Toph was drawn aside by one of her other students, so Niella lingered outside. A few people glanced at her curiously, probably wondering what a Water Tribe girl was doing at an earthbending academy. She paid no attention to them; they would lose interest eventually if she gave them nothing to look at.

"Five hundred gold pieces?" a voice whispered from the alley behind her. Niella peeked around the corner. Two men stood there in the shadows, unaware that she was spying on them. "Even that won't be enough. The Earth King's palace is heavily guarded, you know that. It'll take at least a thousand pieces before I even consider the job." He crossed his arms over his broad chest stubbornly.

"Very well, Xin Fu," the second man said in a deadly serious, businesslike tone, "I will raise your pay to five **thousand** gold pieces, but you only get half of it until you deliver the princess to me **tonight**."

Niella stifled a gasp. These guys were plotting to kidnap Tae Xing! "Very well, Long Feng. The princess will be in your custody by sunup." Xin Fu gave his companion a short bow, then turned and began walking brusquely towards Niella's hiding place.

Niella, thinking quickly, earthbended a hole in the road and jumped in, sealing the gap behind her just as XinFu rounded the corner. She waited, hoping he hadn't noticed her. Suddenly, Niella was vaulted out of her hiding place. Taken by surprise, she lost her balance and flat on her face. Opening one eye, she found herself nose-to-toe with a black boot missing its sole. Toph's face came into view as she looked upward.

"What, exactly, were you doing in the ground, Niella?" Toph seemed curious, even amused. "I can't be so bad a teacher you want to hide from me."

Niella stood up shakily, dusting herself off. "I was listening in on some thugs, called themselves Long Feng and Xin Fu. They're planning to capture Princess Tae Xing **tonight**!"

Toph grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down the street. "Quickly!" she cried, "We have to warn the Earth King!" The pair ran to the monorail station as fast as they could, not even stopping when a produce cart appeared in their path. Toph simply earthbended it out of the way, ignoring the vendor's cry.

"MY CABBAGES! Why me?" **(A/N: Cabbage Man lives!)**

* * *

One monorail ride later – a ride too slow for their liking this time – Toph and Niella found themselves at the gates of the Earth Kingdom palace. One guard was refusing to let them in.

"I'm sorry, ladies, but his majesty is having an important meeting with several other dignitaries. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until he is finished."

Toph, **never** one to take no for an answer, got right up in his face. "Listen, Bo Don. I have urgent news of the Earth King that **cannot** wait. So if you know what's good for you, you'll move aside and let us through. Remember what happened last time?" Bo Don gulped and immediately stepped to the side. Toph and Niella rushed past him and through the hallways. "The Earth King is just a couple doors down," Toph said between breaths. They rounded a corner, and, without hesitation, pushed open an ornate double door.

The hum of chatter within the room quickly died out as Toph and Niella entered, the latter dropping to her knees in exhaustion. Several elderly and middle-aged men and women, in fancy robes of scarlet, emerald, or navy, stood around a large floor-map, most of them scandalized by the interruption. Tae Xing and her father sat on two of the three thrones on the opposite end of the room, the other being occupied by Zi Hao. Niella saw the princess awakening with a start; she'd been leaning on the armrest, her arms being used as a pillow.

Toph bowed respectfully to the king. "Your Highness," she said formally, "I am dreadfully sorry to interrupt, but I have urgent news. News that, unfortunately, cannot wait, for the safety of the royal court in mind." Many of the dignitaries whispered to each other, curious.

The Earth King, shocked at first, gave Toph a serious look before nodding. "This meeting will be adjourned until further notice," he announced, "General, we will discuss this in private. Zi Hao, Tae Xing?" He turned to his now-awake daughter. "Do you mind?" Tae Xing shrugged, stretched, and started to get up from her seat, as her brother did the same.

"Actually," Toph said, "It would be better if the princess were to hear this, as it mainly concerns **her** safety. Chief Sokka and Fire Lord Zuko should stay, too." Niella turned to see two younger men – well, younger than their colleagues – break off from the group converging towards the door. One was indeed the Fire Lord, the other was her own 'Uncle' Sokka. Niella avoided Sokka's sad gaze as he and Zuko came to stand beside her and Toph. She was still angry at him, Katara, Suki, and Ty Lee for lying to her.

"Niella," Toph requested, "Tell them what you overheard by the academy." Okay, so it was more like a command than a request, but Niella obliged. As soon as she mentioned Long Feng, a collective gasp was heard. Only TaeXing didn't seem to recognize the name.

The Earth King rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If Long Feng is involved in this, then this issue is most definitely top priority. General Toph, I want you, the Avatar, and all the most skilled earthbenders and warriors you can find guarding Tae Xing day and night. Chief, Fire Lord, I request your assistance in this matter. Avatar Niella will move into her room until the danger has passed. Is that clear?" Everyone nodded, with one exception – Tae Xing herself.

"But I don't want that **peasant** sleeping in my room!" the princess whined, "I won't do it! Not in a million years!"

"Tae Xing!" her father cut her off, "This is for your own safety. You will be watched twenty-four-seven, be it in the palace or General Toph's house. It's your choice." Tae Xing was silent, crossing her arms and pouting.

* * *

**Ooh, things are getting interesting! I couldn't resist adding Cabbage Man, I love him! Tae Xing's being a bit of a brat, isn't she? Don't worry, she's a dynamic character. **


	4. Escape

**Okay, so here's chapter four. **

**So, I hope you liked it when I added Cabbage Man. I love him. In this chapter we see a couple more familiar faces, and things really do get interesting. **

**Disclaimer: Let's do the math, shall we? Avatar = Not mine. Niella + Tae Xing + Kongi + Lan + Yue and Kanna (Sokka's daughters) + LuTen and TaMing (Zuko's kids) = Mine.**

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Chapter 4: Escape

The full moon shone through the glass windowpane, spilling its pale light on Niella's face. Her bed had been moved from Toph's house to Tae Xing's enormous bedroom. The princess lay asleep on a plush canopy bed with soft velvet hangings every shade of green imaginable, while her unwanted guest had set up her simple cot in the far corner of the room.

Niella couldn't sleep. Her mind was still focused on Tae Xing's harsh words. Jicheng, a girl she'd met from the Northern Water Tribe, had said those exact words eight years ago, even though she'd been a little whinier. She was the youngest daughter in an otherwise pleasant family they'd stayed with to attend the ceremony for the ascension of the new chief, Hahn. Sokka, being the Chief of the South, stayed in Hahn's lodge with Suki and the twins. Katara and Niella roomed with his sister Zhe, Jicheng's mother.

* * *

_Jicheng wrinkled her nose in disgust as she surveyed Niella. "Mommy, I don't **want** that peasant sleeping in my room!" _

_Niella buried her face in her mother's stomach, sobbing. Why did she have to be so mean? _

* * *

Niella hadn't held any grudges against Jichengi. Her uncle had proven that he held great influence over her, and his crowning as chief wasn't exactly good for his people. No matter how rude she'd been as a child, Niella knew she would protect Jicheng and her family; it was the right thing to do. Same went for Tae Xing. Niella would do her best to keep the princess safely out of Long Feng's clutches. Toph had explained some things on their way from her house. Long Feng had been a corrupt ex-politician who'd tried to steal the throne twenty-one years ago. She, Katara, Sokka, and Aang had been the ones to ruin his plans, even after he'd ruthlessly murdered their friend Jet as a warning. No doubt he was back for revenge. As for his partner, Xin Fu, he'd once been a sort of friend of Toph's, the host of an underground earthbending tournament she'd championed as a young girl. He'd made a deal with the Fire Nation rebels a couple years after the war had ended. In fact, he'd openly declared his betrayal to the Earth Kingdom and was hunted down, though unsuccessfully. Not even Aang had found him.

Sokka and Zuko had stationed their men everywhere all around the palace grounds. The palace guards were on high alert, and Toph was camped out right outside the bedroom door. Waterbenders, earthbenders, firebenders, and warriors kept watch over the entire Inner Ring. Niella seriously doubted Xin Fu would even make it inside, so she let herself drift off to sleep.

* * *

_BOOM!_

The noise echoed throughout the entire palace. Both Niella and Tae Xing shot up, terrified. Niella quickly gathered her wits – or was it Avatar instinct? – and jumped out of bed, running towards the door, while Tae Xing ducked back under her covers. Toph stood at the ready, poised in her unique earthbending stance. She didn't even turn around when Niella burst out.

"Take Tae Xing down the hall to the basement!" she ordered, "Tom will escort you two to safety!" Niella nodded and dashed back into the room. She yanked the blankets out of Tae Xing's hands and pulled her out of bed. The princess, refusing help as usual, shrieked and tried to fight her off, but Niella managed to force her out into the hallway. Only then did Tae Xing comply. They ran past several warriors and benders, who were shouting to each other in ready stances, until they got to the basement.

A man stood waiting for them anxiously. He wore the uniform of an Imperial Firebender. Immediately, he grabbed Tae Xing's other arm, and the three ran over to the far wall. Despite her inexperience in earthbending, Niella could feel the tunnel hidden behind it. Stomping her bare foot on the cold stone floor, she opened it up and followed the firebender, pulling Tae Xing along with her at a quick run. "There's a ship waiting not far from the exit!" he shouted, "It will take us to safety!" More noises came from behind, getting noticeably louder. The group increased their pace considerably. Finally, after about five or ten minutes – it was amazing one could run in such circumstances – and they came out into the dockyard behind Lake Laogai. A Southern Tribe ship was sitting by the wharf. Sokka was already on board, waving frantically at them to hurry up. The firebender led the girls up the gangplank, which fell as soon as they stepped on deck. The boat, powered by a small team of waterbenders, set off.

Sokka approached the exhausted three as they tried to catch their breath. He clapped the firebender on the shoulder. "You okay, Tom?" he asked, "That was pretty intense for your first assignment."

The firebender – Tom – tugged off his helmet, revealing his age to be in the early twenties. "Are you kidding?" he panted, "That was nothing more than a good run. It was almost boring, really."

"Seems your more like your sister than you thought." Sokka turned to Niella. "And how are **you** doing? Nobody gave you any trouble, did they?" He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but she edged away.

* * *

_Four-year-old Niella ran down the icy road. "Unca Thokka! Unca Thokka! Wook wha' I tan do!" She saw her auntie and uncle talking with some of the local fishermen. Auntie Suki looked so funny with her big belly sticking out. The little girl skidded to a stop, accidentally turning the frost to water and soaking the grownups._

_While the fisherman grumbled and wrung out their clothes, Sokka and Suki beamed and bent down to hug her, Suki rather awkwardly. "I tan – I tan..." She couldn't remember the word her mother had called her gift. It was a big one. _

"_Waterbend?" Auntie Suki suggested. That was it! _

"_Uh-huh! I tan wathaben'! Jus' like Mommy!" To prove it, she made a few simple hand motions, just like she'd seen Katara doing, and re-froze the water on the ground, accidentally freezing the fishermen's feet to the ground. She realised her babysitter Huli would __**love**__ to see this. "I gunna go thow Huwi!" With that, Niella ran back down the street, leaving her aunt and uncle to help out the poor fishermen. _

* * *

Niella took a deep breath, and, once again avoiding eye contact, addressed him in a flat monotone. "There were several warriors and benders on guard in the hallway like they were supposed to be. The battle never reached us, and the fighters knew who we were and let us pass. Everything went smoothly."

Sokka looked taken aback at her cold response. Tom and Tae Xing watched the pair silently, as if wondering what would happen next. "We'll... we'll keep watch out here. You and the princess should get some sleep."

"Of course, my chief." She gave him a respectful bow and led the sleepy princess away.

* * *

Sokka watched as Niella led Tae Xing below deck. A few months ago, before she'd learned she was the Avatar, she never would've addressed him as chief. It was as if once she'd learned that they weren't actually related, their bond had instantly snapped apart. Sokka had often thought of her as a third daughter. She was inseparable with the twins; Yue and Kanna looked up to her as to a big sister. He didn't care that Niella wasn't a blood relative. She was his niece and always would be, no matter what.

Tom nudged Sokka's arm, bringing the chief back to the present. "You okay, sir?" he asked.

Sokka sighed. "Yeah. Niella's just been getting a little distant these days. She's probably still upset that we never told her, you know, that she was the Avatar."

"She'll understand in time. The same sort of thing often happens between me and Lu Ten or Ta Ming. But if you're ever going to get through to her, you've got to talk to her, and only when she's ready to listen."

Sokka gazed out at the lake as Tom went below deck. Looking upward, he could see the pale full moon throwing her light onto the water. Even though he couldn't see her face, he knew Yue was watching over his family. In the brief times they'd communicated, during the annual winter solstices, they had gone from torn-apart lover to dear friends. He fingered the wooden carving on a chain around his neck, the one he'd always kept hidden under his shirt. It was worn out with time, and even in its peak condition, it'd been difficult to decipher what it was supposed to be whittled into. Some thought bear, and some – meaning only him – thought fish. A couple creative minds thought it was a beartuna. He'd carved it for Yue his second day in the North Pole. After the princess had died, Sokka had dove down into the freezing cold canal and fished it out from the bottom, where he'd thrown it in frustration after learning of Yue's engagement to Hahn.

A sudden jolt brought Sokka out of his thoughts for the second time that night. He looked around and spotted a familiar face blocking the moonlight. His own face twisted into annoyance at the sight. "What do **you** want?"

* * *

**I changed it to just 'Tom' because I figure 'Tom-Tom' was a nickname for him while he was a baby**

**Alrighty, then. I really like how Tom got deep there with Sokka. Imagine a chief being given advice by a young soldier! For anyone who's wondering, he is 22.**

**The names Jicheng and Zhe come from 'jicheng zhe', Chinese for 'Heir'**

**Hùlĭ ****is Chinese for 'care'**


	5. Epilogue

**Voila! This is the final chapter of the first installment of the 'Avatar Niella' Series! There will be three more parts, or books, if you will. No, this series has the right amount of books this time, unlike the original. **

**'Avatar Niella part 2: Firebending' will be posted after the first installment of another series 'Return to the Digital World part 1: The Rise of Rochemon.' So all those Digimon fans will like it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar in any way. **

**Claimer: I own Niella, Tae Xing, and the blurb posted at the bottom (A preview of Part 2).**

* * *

Chapter 5: Epilogue

The huge bump in the middle of the night did not go unnoticed. In fact, it awakened every passenger and crew member on board. "Am I going to get **any** sleep tonight?" Niella mumbled as she rolled out of bed. There was no running, no shouting; heck, it was just as quiet as before. She was positive it was nothing – maybe they'd bumped into a rock or something – but felt compelled to go on up and check it out anyway. She pulled on a warm cloak over her thin nightdress and left.

Outside, she saw Sokka having an intense conversation with the Northern Tribe chief, Hahn. A second ship was tied up alongside theirs. Standing and hiding behind the doorway, she could listen but not be seen. Sokka had often complained about Hahn becoming chief. The words 'jerk without a soul' were often repeated. Their hatred for each other now seemed more obvious than ever.

"My point is that because of the obvious issues between you and the Avatar, I have been put in charge of transporting both girls to Kyoshi Island, regardless of whatever you have to say in the matter."

"You can't do this, Hahn!" Sokka argued, "The Black Phoenix Society is about to start a full-scale war, and at this point, the people of Kyoshi will not allow any ship but mine into their bay. You'll only make things worse!"

"They will let me in. I am also a chief of the Water Tribes. And besides, I don't see any problem with these Black Phoenix people, or whatever they're called. They've been quiet for the full fifteen years they've been together."

"Long Feng is one of them, you know that, and he's the one pulling the strings on this whole conspiracy!" Sokka sounded like he was getting dangerously close to losing his temper. "If that isn't a sign that they're on the move, then I don't know what is! You're putting the Earth Kingdom Princess and the Avatar in danger!"

"_Hmph!_ You're one to talk! Remember the Siege of the North twenty-one years ago?" Silence. Niella peeked out and saw that Sokka had a stricken look on his face. "Chief Arnook tasked you with keeping his daughter out of harm's way, but when she was sacrificed by that old Fire Nation general, you simply stood aside and watched my fiancée die. I'm taking the princess and the Avatar to Kyoshi Island, and that's final." He pushed Sokka aside and headed towards the doorway. Niella tried to duck out of sight, but she wasn't quick enough. Hahn caught her by the arm and dragged her out.

"Ow! Let go!" She pulled herself away angrily, her long, black hair falling over her tanned face. Hahn frowned down at her.

"And who are **you** supposed to be?" he asked, looking at her up and down, taking in her bare feet, rumpled clothes, and messy hair.

"She's Niella," Sokka replied, "The Avatar."

* * *

Hahn looked down at the girl standing before him. She was obviously of marrying age, what with her betrothal necklace, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what kind of man would find **her** desirable. He couldn't really judge her by her unkempt appearance – after all, she'd probably been in bed only five minutes ago – but her attitude repulsed him. Women were supposed to be quiet and obedient. But she'd fought back when he'd caught her spying. Impudence must be an Avatar quality; he'd noticed that in the other one a little. Or it could be a Southern Tribe thing. Or possibly both.

Niella glared them both. "I'll wake the princess so we can go," she said bluntly, turning and descending below deck. Sokka hurried after her. Hahn, foreseeing complications, followed. He was surprised at the Avatar's willingness to obey his orders. Perhaps the people of the Southern Tribe weren't as simple as he'd thought. Of course, he'd never actually been there, and the only southerner he'd really gotten to know was their 'great' Chief Sokka.

Sokka and Niella were arguing back and forth outside one of the cabins. A group of Sokka's men – along with an Imperial Firebender – peeked out from other quarters. Most paid attention to the fight, but one or two glanced curiously his way, throwing him dirty looks.

"Niella, you're safer with me! Trust me, please!"

"After hearing about what happened to that other princess? Not a chance! Why should I trust you with **anyone**'s life? Besides, you can't tell me what to do . You're not really my uncle, **remember**?" The clever girl had found his weak point, even more quickly than Hahn had. Sokka stood by silently as the Avatar brought the princess out. She followed Hahn all the way over the gangplank to his ship, avoiding eye contact with anyone. What was her problem? Oh, well. Hahn didn't really find that to be too big of an issue.

"Men!" he ordered, "Set sail for Kyoshi Island!"

TO BE CONTINUED…

* * *

**Alrighty, so that was a little short, but it IS the epilogue. Don't worry, part 2 will come in a month or two.**

**Here's a sneek-peek at 'Avatar Niella 2: Firebending' - **

**_Two weeks had passed since TaeXing and Niella had switched from Sokka's ship to Hahn's. They'd had to travel through the Ba Sing Se Canal (A/N: The canal was built after the series finale to connect Lake Laogai to Full Moon Bay), across the bay, and around the Serpent's Pass. Hahn had almost gone right through Serpent's Pass, but TaeXing, knowing even more stories about the monster than Niella, persuaded him to take a detour. Then they'd hit the open ocean at the eastern tip of the Earth Kingdom, and began sailing north around the whole continent to Kyoshi Island. If Hahn hadn't been so stubborn, they would've headed southeast, around the southern tip of the Fire Nation. But to him, that would mean sailing off the edge of his his seriously out-of-date map. So it really was no surprise that they hadn't arrived yet. _**

**_"Niella?" TaeXing's voice startled the young Avatar out of her thoughts. "Are we ever going to get there?" _**

**_Niella sat up and looked over. The princess was staring at the ceiling. "Of course," she replied, "It just might take a litte longer than we thought." _**

**_"Hahn really has no idea what he's doing, does he?" _**


End file.
